Apparatus for cleaning ships&#39; hulls.



No.845,301.- v v PATENTBD PEB.26,1907.

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APPARATUS FOR CLEANING-SHIPS HULLS. Arrmomlon rmm JAN. 22, 1906.

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PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. VON HOFFMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSI'GNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JAMES J. MULLEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SHIPS HULLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, I907.

Application-filed January 22, 1906. Serial No. 297,187.

seaweed, moss, or other material which may i be gathered upon the bottom of the ship;

Its objects are to provide a device of this character which will have more "freedom 'of operation than other devices heretofore devised, which will be light and easily handled, and which will be durable and effective in operation.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating this invention, Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus embodying the principal features of this invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 8 is a top plan view showing the fraire and principalparts of the operating mechanism, other parts being TGIIOVBd for convenience in illustration, and Fig. 4 is a view showing a particular form of saw-blade which may be used in connection with this apparatus.

As shown in the drawings, 5 represents a frame of any suitable construction for carrying the cutting devices and the operating mechanism. Three parallel shafts 6 6 are mounted in the bearings 7 and 8 on the frame and carry circular saws 9 9 at their outer ends. The center shaft is directly connected or may be a continuation of the drivingshaft of a motor 10, which is mounted on the rear part of the frame 5, and this same shaft may be extended on the opposite side of the motor to carry a screw or propeller-wheel 11. The motor may be of any ordinary or preferred type, operated either by electricity, compressed air, steam, or the like; but I prefer to use a steam rotary engine. This engine is supplied with steam from a ipe 12, leading to a steam-supply on the dec of the boat. The center shaft also carries a driving-gear 13, which meshes with gears 14 and 15 on the remaining shafts and adapted to drive the latter.

As an auxiliary cleaning device I have provided a reciprocating bar 16, which is mounted in suitable guideways 17 on the main frame and carries a brush 18, which is adapted to press against the boat, and may also carry a saw 19, which is adapted to remove any barnacles or Weeds left by the circular saws and may be adjusted to cut closer to the side of the boat than do the circular saws. The bar 16 is reciprocated by means of a lever 20, pivoted at 21 on a support on the ntain frame and having one end forked to engage with the upper end of an eccentricrod 22, which is pivoted at 23 to the main fran'e and is connected at its lower end by means of a suitable strap 24 to an eccentric 25 on the center shaft. The rod 22 is slotted where it engages with the pivot 23 in order to allow for the proper movement of the same.

The operation of this reciprocating mechaniszn will be readily understood. As the eccentric revolves the upper end of the rod 22 vibrates and transmits the same movement to the lever 20 which operates the bar 16. Of course other equivalent mechanism will readily suggest itself as being adapted to produce the same result.

.In order to regulate the depth of the cut and to prevent the saws from striking the rivets or other projections on the boat, I have provided guide wheels or rollers 26, which are carried on forked bolts 27, passing through the frame and which may be adjusted by means of the nuts 28.

The frame 5 is carried and given flexibility of movement by means of a bail 29, which is pivoted to said frame at 30, at a point where the frame will be substantially balanced. In order to prevent the frame from tipping over or passing out of operative position, chains and 31 are provided at the front and back of the machine, which extend from the extremities of the frame to said bail and are normally slack and which will prevent too great a movement of the frame.

In operation the machine is lowered over the side of the boat (shown in dotted lines at 32) by means of rope and tackle or other suitable mechanism, which is connected to the bail 29. As the device is lowered into the water steam is admitted into the engine 10, and the various connected parts are driven thereby. The propeller 11 urges the cleaning device against the side of the boat, so that the rollers 26 will engage therewith. As the ICC 1.; I Y 1 {I1 device is gradually lowered the saws 9 will I motor mounted on the frame, the inner end out off barnacles or seaweed, which will fall down. Any remaining barnacles or weeds will be cut by the reciprocating saw 19, and finally the reciprocating brush 18 will remove any remaining slime, moss, or fine material. The flexibility provided by the unique method of hanging the cleaning device will allow it to pass more readily around the curves in the bottom of the ship. When a out has been taken, the device is raised, set in a new position, and again lowered for the next cut, the

operation being repeated until the bottom is cleaned.

In some instances the crescent-shaped sawblade 33, (shown in Fig. 4,) which is adapted to be mounted by being secured at one end 34 to the driven shaft, may be found advantageous. It will also be noted that any desirable number of saws may be arranged to operate in the manner shown and described; and I do not wish to limit myself to the particular arrangement shown; but

INhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a ship-cleaning apparatus, the combination of a suspending-bail, a frame pivotally suspended within said bail and adapted to oscillate between the depending arms thereof, loose chains for limiting the oscillating movement of said frame, whereby the frame may adjust itself to the contour of the ship, hull-cleaning devices carried by the frame, and a motor for operating these cleaning devices.

2. In combination with a bail, a frame pivotally suspended therein, means for limiting the pivotal movement of said frame, a

of the motor-shaft carrying a hull-cleaning device and its outer end a propeller, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination, a frame and means for suspending the same close to the hull of a vessel, a motor on the frame, means operated by this motor for holding the frame against the vessel, a circular saw mounted on the inner end of the shaft of the motor and lying flatwise with respect to the ships hull, additional circular saws alongside the aforesaid saw, and means for driving these additional saws from the motor.

4. In combination, a frame and means for suspending it over the side of a vessel, a motor on the frame, a series of circular saws lying flatwise with respect to the vessels hull and being simultaneously driven by said motor, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with suspending means, a frame carrying a motor, means connected to the motor for holding the device against the ships hull, a circular saw mounted on the shaft of the motor and lying close to and flatwise with respect to the ship's hull, a reciprocating bar mounted in the upper part of the frame above the circular saw and carrying a brush and a saw-toothed plate whose teeth are directed downwardly, and means for reciprocating the bar from the motor-shaft simultaneously with the operation of the circular saw.

GEORGE E. VON HOFFMANN.

Vitnesses:

D. W. FENSTEMAKER, L. VVALDMANN. 

